Hawker Typhoon FR.Ib EK 183 US-A No 56 Sqd and EK 427 'S'

 

photo caption by Colin Ford

Hawker Typhoon FR.Ib EK427 'S', from a series of ATP photos taken around April-May 1945 at a RAF MU in the UK at the time the aircraft had been retired from active service and its eventual fate was awaiting a decision (scrapping in early 1946). From its AM78, it is officially recorded as only ever having been allocated to No.268 Squadron RAF in the period August to November 1944. However, in digging through the ORBS for No.IV(AC) Squadron RAF, its serial does make a couple of entries for post-strike reconnaissance sorties conducted using a limited number hand me down Typhoon FR.Ib aircraft that were received from 268 in December 1944 and used until February-March 1945. In the other photos in the series, the starboard wing appears to have some replacement panels fitted, including a 'blank' panel on the underside of the wing in the location where the reconnaissance camera lenses would normally be fitted. Reason for ATP taking photos as the type was being withdrawn from service was that they had not previously taken the standard set of technical photos for the type before it was introduced into service or whilst it was in service - someone was catching up with the paperwork.
This photo and a couple of others from the series have been used in the various editions/reprints of the Valiant Wings Publications book on the Hawker Typhoon/Tornado, with rather inaccurate captions and descriptions regarding the type, its FR modifications and operational use.

Below; Typhoon Mk Ib EK 183 US-A No 56 Sqd, flown by Squadron Leader T.H.V Pheloung [21 Apr 1943] Squadron Leader T.H.V Pheloung died 20-06-1943

Hendon RAF Museum's 'newest' exhibit - Lysander R9125

 

Visited the RAF Museum, Colindale (Hendon) London on Sunday. What a fantastic place - shame that the collection is a bit all over the place at the moment. The Fw 190 S-8 (dual cockpit trainer) is currently dismantled awaiting a move, but apparently both the Dinah and the Ki-100 from Cosford are coming down to north London. The RAF Museum's 'newest' exhibit though is Lysander R9125. Recently restored, the Lysander is now on public display at Hendon in the corner of Hangar 5 opposite the He 162 and Vulcan. No idea why. The finished scheme is accurate down to the "inverted" paint detail on the engine cowl gills - which replicates how it actually looked in a WW2 photograph. Note how for the second photo I went over the rope to try and get a view of the cockpit..only partially successful...

Vickers Wellesley Mark I, 47 Sqn RAF, East Africa 1941/42

The Vickers Wellesley was a British 1930s light bomber built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands near Weybridge, Surrey, for the Royal Air Force. While it was obsolete by the start of the Second World War and unsuited to the European air war, the Wellesley was operated in the desert theatres of East Africa, Egypt and the Middle East. It was one of two planes named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the other being the Vickers Wellington.

" ...By the time I arrived at Brooklands in July 1937 the Vickers Wellesley was in full production. This aircraft was a "geodectic" forerunner of the Wellington and was a large single-engined monoplane powered by a Bristol radial engine which was sometimes prone to failure. If this occurred on take-off one might fail to clear the banking of the rack-track, and the trees immediately beyond, but if one was lucky enough to do that one was bound for the cemetery just ahead. Presumably all that was necessary then was to shovel the earth over one..."

D. Bradley-Watson's Brooklands recollections appeared in Motorsport magazine in December 1971;

Wellesley, 47 Sqn RAF, East Africa 1941/42,

 Wellesley Mark I, L2673 ‘KU-C’, of No. 47 Squadron RAF based at Agordat, Eritrea, in flight over the rugged landscape of Eritrea.

Armourers of of No. 47 Squadron RAF fill Small Bomb Containers with incendiaries before loading them into the underwing panniers of Vickers Wellesley Mark I, K8527, at Kassala, Sudan, for a bombing raid on Italian positions in Eritrea. K8527 was shot down by Italian fighters over Keren on 16 March 1941. Note that this aircraft is fitted with a lengthened cockpit canopy.

Vickers Wellesley " long-range experimental bomber "

Below; A Flight Sergeant gives last minute instructions to an air gunner of 14 Squadron, Royal Air Force, before one of the unit's Vickers Wellesley aircraft takes off from RAF Amman in Transjordan.

© IWM (H(AM) 380)

abgeschossener Engländer! Beute Flugzeuge - Hurricanes lost in France - ebay photo find #87

currently on offer via Oliver Rogge's Ebay sales site, see link below

on offer here

Lysander III, 161 Sqd -ebay photo find #82

rare view of what I assume is (possibly) a special ops SOE Lysander III (maybe) of 161 or 138 Sqd captured by the Germans - taken from an album featuring shots of the Luftwaffe airfield at Cambrai, northern France (Niergnies)

on offer here


Fuselage codes appear to be RM which would make it 26 Squadron. The squadron moved to France in Oct '39 and served in an army co-operation role, finally withdrawing to Lympne on 19 May 1940, after which it flew supply, bombing and reconnaissance missions.

The stripes on the fin were introduced from April 1940, probably a Mk.I. Importantly there is no access ladder on the side so it wasn't used for SOE drops. Possibly a u/s aircraft left in France after the AAEF withdrawal in June 1940? Or.. is that an RAF man being led away?

Emergency landing in France after June '40 - black undersides it looks like. Maybe light bombing or supply dropping?

RM*B is associated with L4773, which was forced to land while conducting a recce on 20 May 1940. I am not altogether convinced that this is the aircraft in the photo, since it was meant to be conducting a recce around Calais and force-landed on a beach..note however that some of the serial numbers are just visible on the lower surfaces of the port wing..

More suggestions on the ID via BM forum

Vickers Wellington T.Mk.XVII - Airborne Interception Radar, Army Cooperation Lysander - daily ebay photo find #77

Vickers Wellington T.Mk.XVII - Airborne Interception Radar

.. According to 'Acklington' on the 'Airfix Tribute forum' these three photos of a Wellington T.XVII (T.17) are the 'first photos of this version to surface'. He continues, " it is indeed a T. XVII (T.17), as shown by the side window arrangement of the GR.11 from which it was converted. Of interest also it has retained the standard GR.11 'Coastal Command' colour scheme. Perhaps it was the first conversion, or did all eleven T.17s retain a coastal command colour scheme? Apart from the side windows it is in other respects very similar to the T. XVIII (T.18), and appears to also have the faired-over tail gun position..."

At the time of posting all on offer here

RAF B-26 Marauders 14 Squadron "Dominion Triumph" "Dominion Revenge"- Marauder Mk.I in RAF service

based on Tony O Toole's 'Commonwealth Marauders' in SAM  November 2015 and Mike Napier's "Winged Crusaders" history of 14 Squadron. Cheers Tony!

Marauder Mark I, FK111, of the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, on a test flight from Boscombe Down, Wiltshire. After a period with No. 301 Ferry Training Unit, this aircraft saw operational service as a torpedo-bomber with No. 14 Squadron RAF in North Africa and Italy.

Marauder Mark I, FK375 ‘D’ “Dominion Revenge”, of No. 14 Squadron RAF based at Fayid, Egypt, in flight. This aircraft was lost during a torpedo attack off Aghios Giorgios Island on 3 January 1943.

© IWM (CM 5001)


Wg Cdr Dick Maydwell on board Marauder FK 142 ("R" Robert) "Dominion Triumph" who shot down the Me 323 of the Obfw. Walter Honig on July 30 1943 at Barcaggio (Corsica). Note two kill markings and the bullet badge under the cockpit. The Martin Marauder Mk I "Dominion Triumph", USAAF number 41-7363, on strength 23 Sep, 1942, was lost on 1 Feb, 1944 during a recce mission from Ghisonaccia, Corsica, at this time base No 14 Squadron. The entire crew: F/Sgt MC Reid, F/S JT Brown, W/O A Western, F/Sgt TN Gilchrist, F/Sgt WH Carr, F/Sgt P Daley, was declared missing.

The highly experienced 14 Sqn had been flying Blenheim Mk.IV`s in the light bomber role during all of the major battles fought in the Western Desert, with short rest periods in Palestine and Iraq in between but by mid 1942 it was the last operational unit flying the Blenheim in North Africa and due for a rest from ops. As luck would have it the first Marauder Mk.I`s began to arrive in the Middle East around this time so 14 Sqn was selected as the prime candidate to fly the new type and under the leadership of pre war RAF regular Wing Commander Wynne S.G. `Dick' Maydwell DFC it moved to Fayid in the Canal Zone of Egypt during August 1942 to commence conversion. To help with this the unit was assigned a cadre of experienced USAAF instructors led by Colonel Flint Garrison.

In fact the only crash during the work up period was made by USAAF Col. Flint Garrison and he was the most experienced B-26 pilot on the squadron! In his defence the crash was totally beyond his control and was caused by a lorry driven by Egyptian workmen which crossed the runway just as Marauder Mk.I, FK157 was landing The resulting crash totally wrecked the Marauder and killed three of the Egyptians on the truck but none of the aircrew were injured and the aircraft was stripped for spares before being struck off charge. The B-26 was regarded as something of a hot ship by USAAF pilots but most of those affected were straight out of flight school and the 14 Sqn crews already had plenty of operational experience and so were not unduly affected Just like most RAF units of the time the aircrew of 14 Sqn hailed from all four corners of Britain and its Empire (as the current Commonwealth was then known) plus occupied Europe so Englishmen, Irishmen, Welshmen and Scots rubbed shoulders with Kiwis, Canadians, South Africans, Aussies, a Kenyan, a Rhodesian and a Dane and they soon took to their new mounts which they found to be a much faster and more capable aircraft than their old Blenheim’s. The conversion and work up period went well despite the early short winged Marauders reputation as a “Widow Maker” in USAAF service. This was because of the relatively high landing speed and high wing loading of this version which caught out many inexperienced. (Tony O' Toole text)

It is said that 14 Sqd Marauders in the MTO/North Africa theatre were named after RN Subs and ships based in the Med and HMS Triumph was indeed a sub from the Malta based 10th Sub Flotilla,.....but some of the names do not correspond with serving RN vessels of the time.

Dominion Revenge- FK 375
Dominion Thunderer- FK 149
Dominion Triumph- FK 142
Dominion Upholder- FK 370

(HMS Revenge and Thunderer were battleships- although the latter had been decommissioned in 1926- and HMS Triumph and Upholder were submarines operating in the Mediterranean, mostly from Malta.)

FK375 'D' Dominion Revenge - Dick Maydwell's aircraft ready to go on a torpedo op.
The Marauder Mk.I`s ( which cost $102,659.33 each to build) operated by 14 Sqn were from a batch of 52 which were equivalent to the USAAF’s B-26A-MA and B-26A-1-MA versions that were delivered under Lend Lease terms to the RAF due to a delay in deliveries of the Martin Baltimore. Most were delivered directly to North Africa and judging by photos taken during these flights at least some bore US markings, however four crashed during their delivery flights, some were lost in the USA before delivery and four were sent to the UK for trials purposes although these were later sent on to N. Africa too as numbers available in the Middle East began to dwindle due to accidental and operational losses. One aircraft which did not leave North America was FK 115 which was stripped to bare metal, given a solid nose and named `Helzapoppin' for use by 45 Group in Canada.


Marauder Mk.I of 14 Sqn RAF. Via Tony O' Toole .." ..I have been researching 14 Sqd B-26 camouflage schemes for years and had been sure that some wore a version of the Temperate Sea Scheme which was added to those that were painted in the desert scheme when the role of the unit was changed from the expected light bomber role to that of maritime reconnaissance and strike. This can just be made out in photos of the real aircraft and when I liaised with crews who flew the type thanks to the 14 Sqn Association lo and behold I was proved to be correct! A number of aircrew recalled that some of the Marauders were painted in a sea scheme and one provided a copy of a painting that he made of his own aircraft just after the war..."

British Marauder Mk.I`s had the later style cowlings with twin air filter housings on the top as opposed to the flat style used by the first USAAC/USAAF B-26`s. Many Marauders appear to have a darker colour applied along the upper nose and fuselage and apparently this is caused by a different thickness of aluminium and this effect totally vanished from other angles of photography..

“Dominion Revenge” "D" was lost during a torpedo attack off Aghios Giorgios Island on 3 January 1943, crew report here



"... Mediterranean Safari...

Many thanks to Dick Maydwell DSO DFC (who commanded 14 Squadron during 1942/43) for sending me the following excellent "Boys Own" story in response to my plea in the last newsletter:

Nowadays sportsmen spend a fortune in running a trip to South Africa to shoot lion, kudu and impala. But in 1943, when our Squadron was stationed at Protville in Tunisia, my Marauder crew enjoyed a splendid safari in the Med, with transport, accommodation, guns and ammunition for free - but watch out for Me109s!

Our first trophy was a large three-engined Savoia Marchetti 82 Kangaroo transport. Shortly after that we shot down a four-engined Junkers 90. But one late evening with the setting sun, as we sped low over the sea, we became the hunted. We were attacked by 2 Me109 fighters at sea-level. After a short gun battle, my tail gunner, Gil Graham, managed to hit one of them and severely damage it. It departed in a plume of white smoke from a glycol leak. Now there was only one. Then disaster - the electrical power to the top gun turret fused! We were now virtually defenceless. As the second Me109 pressed home his attack, I kept the Marauder flying into the sun, moving this way and that, never on the same course for more than three seconds. The tail gunner reported on three occasions that the sea was churned up with a "whoosh" of cannon fire, exactly where we had been just a second before. Eventually, the second Me109 ran out of ammunition and left us to make our escape.

A few days later we were happy to be back on our Med safari. We were flying at sea-level close to Cape Corse at the tip of Corsica, when we saw the most enormous aircraft flying towards us. It was a six-engined Me 323. I knew it had two formidable cannons firing aft so I manoeuvred in front of the enemy aircraft and fired back at him. Soon three engines were out of action. The huge aircraft lumbered on towards the Corsican coast, where it crash- landed in a cloud of dust. Luckily for the crew, it didn't catch fire and no-one was injured as the gun crews and tractor drivers had all gone to the rear of the aeroplane. We did not shoot them up on the ground. I have been friends with the pilot of the Me323 for the last 21 years, but that is another story!

Today I am 90 years old, but I remember all those incidents as clear as a bell.."

from the 14 Sqd Association web-site here

Tucanos of 72 (R) Sqd Centenary " Grand Flypast "

On Tuesday the 27th June a formation of Tucano aircraft from No 72(R) Squadron flew their ‘Grand Flypast’ to commemorate the Squadron’s Centenary.

The nationwide route was planned to overfly all bar two of the Squadron’s previous bases encompassing locations linked to the Squadron’s surviving WWII veterans. We popped up to the Battle of Britain memorial, Capel at 12:30 this lunch-time to see them fly past.

Starting at RNAS Culdrose, the route took four of the Squadron’s Shorts Tucano T Mark 1 aircraft across the South Coast visiting many former RAF Stations that were operational during the Second World War with stops at RAF Odiham, Imperial War Museum Duxford and RAF Linton-on-Ouse on the way to the final destination at JHFS Aldergrove in Northern Ireland. (stop press ! Legs 3 and 4 apparently cancelled due to weather)

One of the Tucanos was painted in a specially designed commemorative livery, to recognise 72 Squadron’s unique position as the only remaining Squadron in the Royal Air Force to have flown Spitfires during the Battle of Britain. This commemorative Tucano will also be visiting RAF Stations and airshows around the country this summer as a static display aircraft.

Tucanos of 72 (R) Sqd  Centenary flypast at the site of the former RAF Matlaske in North Norfolk by Stuart Thurtle shared via FB here

Mosquito TV 959, Flying Heritage museum, Paul G. Allen collection

TV 959, looking good in its new Night Intruder paint scheme, will have its first post re-assembly flight tomorrow with Steve Hinton at the controls. Due to fly also at the Flying Heritage's "Skyfair" on 22 July.

The Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum is Paul G. Allen's collection of rare military aircraft, tanks and other military treasures which comprises artifacts from Germany, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.




and a look back at the first engine runs on US soil

Gloster Gladiator at Sidi Barrani, Egypt -Squadron Leader P H "Paddy" Dunn, CO of 80 Squadron RAF IWM collection

IWM photos available for publication on non-commercial web sites;

"Squadron Leader P H "Paddy" Dunn, the Commanding Officer of No. 80 Squadron RAF, sitting in the cockpit of his Gloster Gladiator at Sidi Barrani, Egypt, a few days after leading 'B' and 'C' Flights in a major engagement with Italian fighters over Bir el Gobi, Libya, on 8 August 1940, in which they claimed nine Fiat CR.42s shot down for the loss of two Gladiators. Dunn himself was credited with two CR.42s shot down within a few minutes of the start of the fight." Source: IWM (CM 42)
The Italian biplanes were from IX and X Groups, 4° Stormo CT, commanded by Maj Romagnoli, the real losses were 4 shot down, 4 force landed and later recovered, 1 pilot killed.

Below;
Pilot Office S Linnard of No. 80 Squadron RAF, views the artwork on his Gloster Gladiator from the cockpit. at Sidi Barrani, Egypt, a few days after taking part in the same engagement.

ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, 1939-1943.© IWM (CM 43)

Spitfire V KL-E 54 Squadron - daily Ebay photo find #36

Spitfire V shot down over France/Belgium on June 25 1941 with a "English Major" according to the annotation on the original photo. This is probably Spitfire V R7259, 54 Sq., shot down on 25 June 1941 with W/C John R. Kayll, Hornchurch Wing Leader. He was taken POW.

Westland Whirlwind, 137 Squadron, Manston, March 1943

" Westland Whirlwind pilots of 137 Squadron at Manston, 5 March 1943. The officer standing forward and to the right is Squadron Leader H. St J. Coghlan and the unit's bull mastiff mascot, 'Lynn', lies to the left."

Source: Flightglobal archives FA_18475s

Hawker Typhoon IB, 56 Squadron April 1943

Caption: "A nice detailed photograph of the front fuselage of a Hawker Typhoon IB, 56 Squadron, Matlask, 21st April 1943." Source: Flightglobal archives FA_18514s

The stripes were specifically introduced on Typhoons to prevent anti-aircraft gunners from mistaking them for Fw 190s. This is why the stripes are only on the wing undersurfaces, not the upper surfaces or fuselage. They were introduced in December 1942 and phased out in February 1944. Unfortunately, several Typhoons were shot down by Allied AA fire, and also Allied fighters - the first two Typhoons to be shot down were dispatched by Spitfires. Several recognition markings were tried, including a single yellow wing stripe, and painting the entire nose white, before the black/white stripes solution was finalized..(Robert Allen text)

 This Typhoon IB (s/n R8752) of No. 1 Squadron RAF was written off after crash-landing in a field near its base at Lympne on 2 June 1943. W. H. RAMSEY hit a telegraph pole over France, but managed to bring his badly damaged aircraft home Photo : IWM (CH 18509)

27 July 1944 - first Gloster Meteor sortie, Flying Officer Bill McKenzie RCAF of 616 Squadron

On this day in 1944 an RAF Gloster Meteor Mk 1 jet flew the first operational sortie of the type - in the 616 Sq log the entry read ‘History is made!’ An anti-diver patrol (so called after the way the V-1s flamed out then dropped from the sky) was flown by Flying Officer Bill McKenzie RCAF of 616 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based at Manston on the north-east Kent coast. He later shot down a V-1 on 16 Aug 1944 as the following report confirmed;

 Consolidated Diver Report 616 Squadron, Manston F/O W. McKenzie, R.C.A.F. 16 August 1944

 After an uneventful scramble, F/O McKenzie was about to land at Manston when Control (Kingsley 11) passed information that Divers were coming in. F/O McKenzie was sent back to orbit approximately 5 miles S.E. Ashford at 3000 ft. One Diver was seen flying on a course of 320 degrees at 1000 ft, at speed of approximately 360 mph. F/O McKenzie positioned to 700 yards behind and 500 ft below Diver at approximately 0938 hrs. A Mustang was seen to attack from line astern and fire from 250 yards. No strikes were observed and the Diver continued on a straight and level course. The Mustang then pulled upwards and broke away. Immediately F/O McKenzie attacked from astern at range of 400 yards and fired a 4 second burst. Strikes were seen all over Diver and starboard wing fell off. Diver then rolled over on its back and went down to explode on ground approximately 6 miles southeast of Maidstone at approximately 0940 hours. This position and time has now been confirmed by Royal Observer Corps at Maidstone.

CLAIM: 1 Diver destroyed by F/O W. McKenzie (R.C.A.F.) SQUADRON: 616 Squadron AIRCRAFT: Meteor Mk I CALL SIGN: Hugo 19 WEATHER: Hazy, visibility 5 miles TIME UP: 0910 TIME DOWN: 0950

source; RAF FB page

Jean Demozay 91 'Nigeria' Sqn Hawkinge - a 'modest and exemplary hero..'

Above; S/Ldr Jean Demozay (second from the left) leaning against the prop of one of 91 Squadron's Spit Vbs, September 1941. (photo credit via Peter Hall of Ashford. Peter's history of 91 'Nigeria' Sqn in the Osprey Aviation 'Elite' series is still the best English-language reference on Demozay)

Just read the neat bio of Jean Demozay over on the Hawker Hurricane Facebook page. However the first paragraph contained a number of errors which I thought I'd comment on...a French friend of mine, Many Souffan, just happens to be working on a bio of Demozay and has already published an in-depth review of his career in 'Avions' magazine  issue 176.

".. Nice story ....but the real facts are even more improbable! Demozay never joined the l'Armee de l'Air and  never trained as a pilot pre-war - apparently he just 'pretended' he had in order to try and get into the Air Force. He stated that his birth year was 1912 ..in actual fact it was 1915 (..and not 1916) And he was turned down - he finally joined up with the 19e Train des Equipages (French army) on 9 September 1939. He was then posted to the RAF's 'Advanced Air Strike Force' as an interpreter - his English was fluent as he had spent a number of his teen years at boarding school in Southsea near Portsmouth where a family friend was a teacher. His first flights were in the liaison Magister used by No. 1 Squadron and it was the British pilots that taught him to fly circuits in their off-duty hours. He was indeed one of the first French 'pilots' to reach the UK arriving on 17 June 1940 having piloted a Bristol Bombay across the Channel, but at the time he didn't even possess a (car) drivers licence! He then managed to wangle his way into operational training unit 5 OTU which as luck would have it was commanded by his 'old' Squadron CO 'Bull' Halahan, proving the old adage 'its not what you know...'. He started his first 'real' flight training course on 20 June 1940 - but really there is no way he should have been there. His CO in 'E flight' 5 OTU was another former 1 Squadron Hurricane ace, Pilot Officer 'Boy' Mould, the first RAF pilot to shoot down a Luftwaffe aircraft over France on 30 October 1939. Demozay finished his training in October 1940 and joined 1 Sqn at Wittering and flew several sorties before 31 October 1940 - the 'official' Battle of Britain cut-off date. As such he was one of just thirteen French pilots that officially participated in the Battle of Britain and his name is inscribed on the memorial wall at Capel-Le-Ferne, between Folkestone and Dover. As for his achievements in combat - well it is a matter of record that he commanded 91 'Nigeria' Squadron at Hawkinge and there is a street named after him in the village..officially he returned some 19 victories although many of his claims were made when flying alone out over the Channel and over France..."

This well known image of Jean 'Moses Morlaix' Demozay was taken on 16 November 1941 at Hawkinge. At this time Demozay had around 11 victories and four probables. One month previously he had been awarded the DFC, presented to him by Leigh Mallory Trafford. A few months later he received a bar and a DSO. The Spitfire behind him is the Mk V of his S/L J N Watts Farmer W3175/ DL.W. Under his wings you can see (from L to R) the ribbons of Ordre de la liberation (Green & black) the 7 palms of his Croix de Guerre and his new DFC